It is known to provide keyboard supporting assemblies with clamping devices for releasably mounting a keyboard in a fixed position relative to the assembly, with means for mounting a palm rest in a convenient position relative to the keyboard, and with means for mounting an auxiliary art device, such as a support for a mouse, relatively adjacent to the keyboard.
The present invention relates to a keyboard supporting assembly, and more particularly to an improved mechanism by which clamping devices may be supported for releasably clamping a keyboard in position relative to the assembly and for removably and adjustably mounting an auxiliary art device relative to the keyboard.
In a presently preferred construction, the assembly includes a first and second members each having a suitable clamping means; and mounting means for mounting the members for relatively unopposed, manually induced converging movement for placing the clamping means in clamping engagement with a keyboard when placed therebetween, and for normally restraining the members from diverging movement for purposes of releasing the keyboard from the assembly.
The mounting means preferably includes a first part fixed to one of the members, a second part fixed to the other of the members, wherein the first part is provided with a guide opening for slidably receiving the second part in order to mount the members for convergent/divergent movements, and a manually operable locking device engageable with the second part for purposes of releasably retaining the members in convergent clamping positions. The first part additionally serves to removably mount the auxiliary art device support in selectively adjusted positions relative to the keyboard.
Preferably, the first part is defined by a two part housing, wherein a first or upper housing part defines the guide opening for slidably receiving the second part and supports a locking device, and a second or lower housing part cooperates with the upper housing part to define an elongated opening for slidably receiving a mounting rod forming part of the auxiliary art device support and to support a friction member and a spring serving to bias the friction member into surface-to-surface engagement with the mounting rod for purposes of releasably retaining same in selected positions lengthwise within the elongated opening.